Adrian Beltre, Rougned Odor homer as Rangers top Astros

May 13, 2014
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The Associated Press

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

HOUSTON (AP) - Rougned Odor has had a rough start to his Major League career. Things quickly turned around for him on Monday night.

The rookie second baseman collected his first home run and drove in his first two runs as Colby Lewis threw 5 2-3 shutout innings, and Adrian Beltre also homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros.

Odor, who entered Monday just 2 for 12, had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the fourth and a homer in the sixth - a solo shot into the upper deck in right field - to make it 4-0.

"He swung the bat well, especially that base hit he got up the middle," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "He (Brad Peacock) threw him a fastball away and he stayed on the pitch and didn't try to do much with it but hit it where it was. And then he went up there and took a chance that he was going to throw him a first-pitch fastball and got the head out."

Washington said one thing about Odor was that he walked up to plate confident and not scared.

Odor said through a translator that he felt good.

"I'm not scared because it's the same as down in the minor leagues," Odor said. "I take it in that perspective."

Lewis (3-2) struck out a season-high eight and allowed seven hits to improve to 4-0 in his career at Minute Maid Park. The right-hander bounced back from a poor outing against Colorado on Wednesday where he allowed seven runs in less than four innings.

Lewis said he was able to flip the breaking ball for strikes, and when that pitch is sharp, you can use it to get a couple more outs.

"That's kind of what you want as a starting pitcher," Lewis said. "You want to have at least three of the four working for you and when you have four of the four pitches working for you it makes for an easier night. I was able to flip breaking balls in there when I needed to early. The slider was sharp. The change-up got me some quick outs a couple times and that was beneficial for sure."

Beltre, who snapped a 0 for 11 slump, had two hits, including a two-run home run to left in the third. Prince Fielder also had two hits.

"It's always nice to help your ballclub win games," Beltre said. "I know that I need to be doing that more often and hopefully that'll be the start of something better."

Brad Peacock (0-4) struck out a career-high 11 but allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings. Peacock's previous career-high for strikeouts was 10 at Minnesota on Aug. 4, 2013.

"From the get-go, I wanted to try to attack these guys and try to keep the ball down and mix in my other pitches," Peacock said. "I was able to do that for the most part. I felt good tonight."

Jose Altuve had three hits, and Matt Dominguez and George Springer each had two hits for the Astros, who left 12 runners on base in losing for the eighth time in the last 10 games.

"Look at the number of hits we had and baserunners, we had guys who were getting hits and getting on base," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "We just were not getting the big hit that would plate runs in those situations."

Lewis exited after singles by Dominguez and Springer, combined with a Mitch Moreland error, put runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth, but Nick Martinez induced a Chris Carter groundout to end the threat.

The Astros threatened again in the eighth, putting runners on the corners with one out after singles by Dominguez and Springer, but Neal Cotts struck out Carter and Jesus Guzman to end the inning.

NOTES: Washington said he would not know until Wednesday whether lefty Martin Perez lands on the disabled list. "Right now, our thought is to wait until Wednesday and see what more information we have and then we'll make a decision," Washington said. "If it's just for him to miss a start, then we have to do something else. If it gets to that point where he has to go on the DL, we don't have to make the decision until Wednesday." Perez experienced discomfort in his left elbow after failing to get out of the fourth Saturday night. ... Texas infielder Josh Wilson accepted the outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock. Wilson was designated for assignment May 8. ... Houston will send left-hander Dallas Keuchel, who is 3-2 with a 3.68 ERA this season to the mound Tuesday against lefty Matt Harrison, who is 1-0, in the second game of the three-game.

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